In the spring, summer and fall, that can create muddy runoff that makes its way into Lake Champlain and other waterways.

"All of the stream-flow that flows then into the rivers and then into the lake. Really it starts in the uplands," said Franklin and Grand Isle County Forester Nancy Patch.

But she says there is way to help avoid excessive runoff -- log in the wintertime.

"And so in the wintertime what we can do is we can freeze roads in, so that we don't have that rutting, or that movement of water across the soil, because movement across the soil is what causes erosion," said Patch.

She says when it's done right, a frozen logging trail can be as solid and almost as flat as paved surface.

There will be muddy runoff in the spring, but foresters and land managers can do things to slow running water -- like creating a water bar; it's basically a berm to stop water from rushing down a cleared path.

"So really what you're doing is slowing water down, diverting it off into a dispersal area so it doesn't collect, it doesn't bring silt or sediment down the road or into waterways," said Patch.

Water can then be channeled through hay bales to slow and filter runoff.

Patch says the best forestry causes the least disruption while helping the land.

"There are really a number of land owners who would benefit from seeing what some of the things you can do in the forest to help wildlife habitat while also increasing your timber potential perhaps, and also while mitigating against climate change by addressing those structural and compositional needs in the forest."

Landowners with questions about forestry, logging and best practices can contact their county forester.